The 25 Best Futurama Moments Ever.
Where no fan has gone before...
written by B, Bill and Justin on July 20, 2025

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25. "That radiator woman from the radiator planet."

The episode:"The Lesser of Two Evils"
The gist: Leela and Bender are lamenting their respective losses at the Miss Universe pageant, when Fry attempts to one-up them by proving how slick he is.

Fry: You guys might both be losers, but I just made out with that radiator woman from the radiator planet.
Leela: Fry, that’s a radiator.
Fry: Oh, *ahem* is there a burn ward within ten feet of here?

The funny: Fry is such a hapless loser. He routinely assumes that since he’s in the future, even the most basic material necessities have some sort of alternate futuristic application.

24. "Odelay is a word. Look it up in the Becktionary."

The episode: "Bendin' In The Wind"

The gist: Bender realizes his dream of being a folk singer and joins Beck on tour. Beck tries to give him some helpful advice: "When I'm upset, I write a song about it. Like when I wrote Devil's Haircut, I was feeling really... what's that song about?"

The funny: Usually guest stars get their asses kissed for fear of pissing them off and having them walk off the show, which will deprive the network of the three extra viewers it would have gotten who would tune in solely to see Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen have two throwaway lines in the background of a random scene. It's nice to see the writers willing to poke fun at the guest, and more importantly see the guest willing to poke fun at himself.

23. "That's coming out of YOUR pay."

The episode: “Bender Gets Made”
The gist: After a freak spice weasel mishap at an Elzar taping leaves Leela temporarily blinded, she’s determined to prove to everyone that even though she can’t see, she’s still fit to captain the Planet Express ship. During the launch sequence, she manages to crash through the roof of the building. Having witnessed the entire ordeal, Hermes turns to Zoidberg and delivers the above line with more contempt in his voice than I’ve ever heard in my entire life. Zoidberg’s only response is to openly bawl into his claws.

The funny: Unlike every other show on television, Futurama’s characters were unapologetic in their complete disregard for each other’s feelings. The completely nonsensical hatred Hermes harbors towards Zoidberg is a prime example of this. Why Zoidberg should be expected to pay for Leela’s mistake is never explained, and it doesn’t really need to be. It just makes for a great joke.

22. "You can't OWN property, man."

The episode: "The Problem with Popplers"
The gist: Protesters surround the Planet Express building to protest the harvest of popplers; a delicious new snack discovered during a chance stop on a remote planet. Farnsworth attempts to scare them off and the following dialogue ensues:

Farnsworth: “Hey! Unless this is a nude love-in, get the hell off my property.”
Hippie: “You can’t OWN property, man.”
Farnsworth: “I can. But that’s because I’m not a penniless hippie.”

The funny: Hippies are dirty and they have no money. Also, the elderly are incredibly crotchety and heartless.

21.  "Horse Pepsi okay?"

The episode:  "Luck of the Fryrish"
The gist:  At the race track a horse-themed joke picks up between Leela, Hermes, and a concession stand worker.

Man: "Get your piping hot horse burgers horse fries, horse cakes and shakes. We got tongue, straight from the horse's mouth."
Leela: "Hmm."
Hermes: "It all sounds good."
Man: "All our horses are 100% horse-fed for that double-horse "juiced-in" goodness."

Leela: "I'll have the cholesterol-free omelet with horse-beaters."
Man: "And you, Sir? How can I horse you?"
Hermes: "I'll have a horse Coke."
Man: "Horse Pepsi okay?"
Hermes: "Nay."

The funny:  A dumb joke becomes clever in one word.  By the greenest snakes in the tallest sugar canes in Babylon, Hermes is the most underrated Futurama character.  Now if you'll excuse me I have to go limbo under a closing door that someone could probably just roll under.

20. "Your music's bad and you should feel bad!"

The episode: "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings"

The gist: Zoidberg goes for the traditional uplifting message found at the end of most movies-of-the-week. "The beauty was in your heart, not in your hands!" Fry tries to play the holophoner without the aid of the robot devil's hands, and fails miserably. Zoidberg delivers the above line. Hilarity ensues.

The funny: Blatant contradiction is always funny. Except when it's not. See?

19. "Enghhhhh."

The episode: "When Aliens Attack"
The gist: Idiotic 25 star general Zapp Brannigan is put in charge of defending Earth against the invading Omicronians. While outlining the plan to attack the mother ship during the mission briefing, he manages to use every victory clich� known to man.

Zapp: “The alien mother ship is in orbit here. If we can hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards… checkmate.”
Kif: "Enghhhhh."

The funny: Zapp’s complete lack of strategic prowess was a running joke throughout the duration of the series. And it wouldn’t have been as funny as it is if Billy West weren’t such an amazing and versatile voice-actor. The way he manages to deliver the above line without the slightest hint of irony or self-awareness is a thing of beauty.

18. "Now ZOIDBERG is the popular one!"

The episode: The Cryonic Woman
The gist: Leela, Bender, and Fry are fired after Bender and Fry take the Planet Express ship out for a spin. Upon their dismissal, everyone starts paying attention to Zoidberg.

The funny: I love how this scene suggests that all of Zoidbergs unpopularity, poverty, and misery stems from Leela, Bender, and Fry's gainful employment. As if they're making a conscious effort to sabotage his life.

17. Gah!

The episode: "Where no Fan has Gone Before"

The gist: Over the credits of their big Star Trek episode, they show scenes from the episode in the same way the original Star Trek series did over their credits. At the end is a shot of Kif that wasn't in the show; it's been specially made to parody the last shot that was always at the end of the Trek credits.

The funny: The sudden realization that you recognize the picture being parodied, followed by the question of why you remember it, followed by the realization that enough people remember it that they fucking parodied it, all rolls into one big ball of surprised laughter.

16.  "Who are those horrible orange creatures over there?"

The episode:  "Fry & the Slurm Factory"
The gist:  The Futurama writing staff manages to take one of the most stale concepts in modern nostalgia (a Willy Wonka parody) and spruce it up with a giant ass sucking worm.  The best part comes when Professor Farnsworth inquires about the identity of the Oompa Loompa-like work staff.

Farnsworth: "Who are those horrible orange creatures over there?"
Glurmo: "Why those are the Grunka Lunkas. They work here in the Slurm factory."

Farnsworth: "Tell them I hate them!"

The funny:  *snort*  I want to be Professor Farnsworth when I grow up.

15. "Oh no, invaders! Possibly from space!"

The episode: "Anthology of Interest 2"
The gist: Fry wonders what it’d be like if life were more like a video game. When the space invaders attack, the fate of humanity is left in the hands of Fry, his 2-liter of Shasta, and his all-Rush mix-tape.

Lrrr: “People of Earth, I am Lrrr of the Planet Ninten-do 64. Tremble in fear at our three different kinds of ships.”

Fry: “I’ve still got a trick or two up my sleeve. Watch as I fire upwards through our own shield!”

Lrrr: “You are defeated. Instead of shooting at where I was, you should have been shooting at where I was going to be.”

The funny: The entire segment is a hilarious send-up of eighties video games, running the gamut from Pac Man to Robotron. It’s a prime example of why this was a show written by geeks, for geeks.

14. "How about these cookies, sugar?"

The episode: "Roswell That Ends Well"
The gist: Trapped in the 1950s, Fry meets up with his grandparents at an army base in Roswell, New Mexico. He accidentally kills his grandfather, and while consoling his grandmother he.. well.. does her.

The funny: There are plenty of people with sick senses of humor out there, but they had to be really careful here to avoid just completely grossing everyone out. Fry doesn't actually think at the time that this woman is actually related to him, but even in retrospect it's rather unsettling. And unsettling = funny. Unless it's a sinkhole.

PS Bad puns do not = funny.

13. "Oh GOD you're alive!"

The episode: "When Aliens Attack"
The gist: Farnsworth goes about hiring a new crew when he’s certain his old one was killed in combat only to have them walk in as he’s assigning jobs to their replacements.

The funny: I’ve always been a fan of meta-humor, and this is one of the better examples of the writers poking fun of themselves. Plus, the notion that Farnsworth could be so apathetic towards the death of his crew (including his own great, great, great, great, great, great uncle) is hilarious.

12.  "This one's like a summer guy!"

The episode:  "Amazon Women in the Mood"
The gist:  Zoidberg is trying out new shells from his J. CRAB catalogue.  His first choice is a stereotypical Mexican shell, complete with sombrero and oversized mustache.  Bender, being Hispanic ("Hecho En Mexico"), takes offense.  So Zoidberg tries another.

The funny:  Zoidberg dressed as a sexy cop with assless hotpants is funny enough, but it's his innocent and unexpected response to it that makes it one of my favorite moments ever.  "This one's like a summer guy!"  It also works as a hysterical catchphrase for use in real life and a non-hateful slur towards gay people.  Try it.  Find a really flaming gay man and tell him he's "like a summer guy."  He'll probably smack you on the shoulder and thank you.

AND THAT'S WHEN YOU HIT HIM

wait

11. "Stupid anti-pimping laws."

The episode: "Put Your Head On My Shoulder"
The gist: Bender gets an idea to capitalize on people's need for companionship. Unfortunately, prostitution is illegal.

The funny: Features one of the major contenders for best line in the history of the show.
Hookers: "Bender, honey, we love you!"
Bender: "Shu'up baby, I know it!"

Followed by Bender's exaggerated Pimp Walk out of the courtroom.

10. Bear "Hospital"

The episode: "Love & Rocket"
The gist: The crew are being escorted through Romanticorp headquarters when they stumble upon the thicket of the Lovey Bears.

The funny: This is one of the darkest jokes ever told on television. The Lovey bears are a group of cute and cuddly teddy-bears who spend their care-free days playing and having... well, I'll let Sheldon explain it to you.

Sheldon: "They frolic in the Lovey Forest until their first birthday, then we choose the cuddly-uddliest ones and stuff them full of fire-retardant love fluff!"

Oh... oh dear God no.

9. "I am the greetest! Now I am leaving Earth forever, for no raisin!"

The episode: "The Day The Earth Stood Stupid"
The gist: The Giant Brain is chasing Fry and Leela through various books, so Fry must write his own book (poorly), so the brain will follow the narration and be tricked into leaving.

The funny: Futurama had possibly the greatest voice cast of any animated television show. Here's an example of an amusing line made hilarious by the ability of the actor, in this case Maurice LaMarche. The amount of emphasis he puts on "for no raisin!" really sells it.

8.  "And I'm his friend Jesus!"

The episode: "A Tale of Two Santas"
The gist:  As the people of Earth await Santa (an evil robot) on Christmas night, the Planet Express crew accidentally freezes him.  This gives Fry a chance to act on his desire to give the future his own year 2000 version of Christmas.   This leaves Bender with the task of pulling off robot Santa for the year.   When things go wrong Bender is thrown into a penitentiary and is being prepped for execution by magnexecution.  To save him, the crew pulls a Spartacus...each claiming to be Santa Claus in an attempt to save their friend.  Fry enters in Santa costume.   Hermes enters in Santa costume.  Amy and Professor Farnsworth enter in Santa costumes.  Then Zoidberg helps out in the only way he knows how:

"And I'm his friend Jesus!" 

The funny: There is no possible way to explain how funny a poor, Jewish space crab/lobster monster doctor dressed as Jesus Christ is.  And there's no possible way to improve upon it.  It's Zoidberg's greatest moment, and Dad bless him for it.

7. "Bang, zoom, straight.. to the moon."

The episode: "The Series has Landed"
The gist: Fry takes an education tour to learn about the moon, and finds out that people in the year 3000 think The Honeymooners was the chronicle of an actual astronaut.

The funny: I guarantee you at least 80% of the stuff we know about historical civilizations is really just a bunch of whacked out fantasies based on some drawing a guy in 12 AD thought was funny. Etch some strange pictures into a rock and bury it in your backyard, and you'll have people thousands of years from now thinking everyone in your city made houses from dried poop and worshiped a large ferret named Pedro.

6. "You were doing well until everyone died."

The episode: "Godfellas"
The gist: Bender, adrift in space, meets God.

The good writing: This is the way I like to think of God, if He/She/It exists. Too often, God in movies and TV shows is either a long-haired hippy in sandals or a fire and brimstone spewing old man in a robe, apparently because for a cosmic being to be compassionate means they have to be an overly emotional pussy, and to be all-powerful they have to be a grizzled bastard in the clouds sharpening their next lightning bolt to shove up someone's ass for nodding off at church. This episode explores the radical idea that God can be powerful and caring without being your personal guardian angel or a ruthless dictator. Given the job, one would have to imagine God would develop a certain clinical detachment after a while.

5. "And not CLOWN fundamentals!"

The episode: "A Leela of Her Own"
The gist:  Leela (a one-eyed female who beans every batter she faces) is the new novelty act for the New New York Mets, a Blernsball team with no hope who are playing the saddest baseball since the days of Bob Uecker...but she isn't the first.

The funny:  Met Coach: "Come on! Let's see some fundamentals out there!" *honk honk* "And not clown fundamentals..."

The idea of a clown playing baseball (well, a kind of baseball) in itself is funny, but the execution and follow-up to the joke are what set Futurama apart from every other show ever, including "The Simpsons."  The clown fields a ground ball while spinning a pie above his head.  The camera cuts to first where the first baseman is ready to tag the runner out.  A pie comes flying in from off screen and hits him in the face.

I have discerning tastes when it comes to comedy, but if someone can make me legitimately laugh at a pie-gag they've earned my respect and the knowledge that they've completely submerged me in their world, no matter how fun and unnerving it all is.

4. "Here lies Phillip J. Fry, named for his uncle, to carry on his spirit."

The episode: "Luck of the Fryrish"
The gist: Fry thinks his brother Yancy stole his identity along with his ultra-lucky seven leaf clover after he was frozen, which is why Yancy grew up to be rich and successful. Turns out Yancy named his son after Fry and gave him the clover.

The sadness: Well it's just very sweet, is all. Also notable for being the only instance in which Simple Minds' "Don't You Forget About Me" can have actual, non-ironic emotional resonance.

3. Origins

The episode(s): “Space Pilot 3000” “The Why of Fry” “The Day the Earth Stood Stupid” “Roswell that Ends Well”
The gist: Go make a sandwich or something. It’s alright. We’ll be here when you get back.

Space Pilot 3000: The pilot episode of the series in which a prank pizza-delivery sees Fry seemingly of his own accord, get frozen in a cryogenic tube only to awaken in the year 3000.

The Day the Earth Stood Stupid:Giant brains invade Earth. Nibbler abducts Leela and takes her back to his home planet, where it is revealed that the Fry is the planet’s only hope – as he is immune to the brains’ psychosis attacks.

Roswell That Ends Well: After forgetting to remove the metal from the microwave popcorn, Fry accidentally opens up a rift in the space-time continuum and the Planet Express is taken back in time to Area 51 circa 1947. When he finds out his grandfather is stationed there, Fry launches a futile campaign to keep him out of harm’s way. Fry unwittingly sends his grandfather to an early grave, and while consoling his girlfriend, ends up sleeping with her. Unbeknownst to him, his grandfather’s girlfriend ended up being his grandmother, thus rendering Fry his own grandfather.

The Why of Fry: Fry is convinced he’s of no use to anyone until Nibbler reveals to him that he is the single-most important person in the universe. As a result of being his own grandfather, his brain lacks the delta-waves the giant brains feed on, thus making him the only person able to sabotage their giant infosphere and keeping them from destroying the universe. However, the brains reveal to Fry that Nibbler placed the prank order for the pizza, and in fact, was responsible for encrypting him within the cryogenic tube. Fry finds his way back to the 20th century, intent on stopping Nibbler from stealing his life, until he realizes the gravity of his decision, and instead opts to freeze himself, thus saving the future and everyone in it.

The good writing: After watching the entire series, and the above four episodes in particular, you begin to realize just how genius the show really was. The plots weren’t haphazardly thrown together on the fly, as after the revelation of Fry freezing himself is brought to light, you can actually go back to the first episode and catch his alternate being’s shadow pushing him into the tube. And over the course of the series, you’ll catch subtle allusions to what really happened on December 31st, 1999 that you may have missed the first time through. All in all, it was a masterful story-arc, and it really showcases why Futurama is quite possibly the best animated program in existence.

2. "I moved the stars themselves to write her a love note in the sky."

The episode: "Time Keeps on Slipping"
The gist: Time is jerking forward in odd increments, causing people to arrive at points in the future without knowing how they got there. Fry somehow ended up marrying Leela, but doesn't know how he got her to love him. He realizes how he did it about three seconds before the message is sucked into a black hole.

The sadness: There were a lot of obstacles thrown in Fry's path to Leela, but this was worst. It's obviously a little absurd, but given that it routinely appears on people's list of the saddest episodes (it's a part of the Sadness Triumvirate with Luck of the Fryrish and Jurassic Bark), I think a lot of people can still identify with the guy who tries so hard and still gets knocked back to square one again and again.

It was all around a great episode, though, and I could have easily pulled a number of best funny moments from it. I especially enjoyed the deadpan delivery of street slang. "While you were gone the Trotters held a news conference to announce that I was a jive sucker."

1. "If it takes forever..."
The episode: "Jurassic Bark"
The gist: Fry finds the fossilized remains of his old dog Seymour in a 20th century museum, and through the use of the professor’s cloning machine, is able to bring back his best friend. However, before the reanimation can take place, Fry discovers that even after he was frozen for 1000 years, Seymour still managed to live a long life, and painfully determines that if Seymour could move on, so should he. The show then cuts back to the 20th century, in which Seymour sits out front of Penucci’s Pizza, waiting for Fry to come back, until he eventually dies of old age.

The sadness:

Those who disagree with this choice at number one should die of no-heart disease.

:(